August 18 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Amy Woodyatt and Ed Upright, CNN

Updated 12:00 a.m. ET, August 19, 2020
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6:01 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

Kentucky surpasses more than 40,000 coronavirus cases

From CNN's Jennifer Selva

The number of coronavirus cases in Kentucky has passed 40,000, according to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

During an afternoon news conference, Beshear said there were at least 627 new cases in the state today, bringing the total number of cases to approximately 40,299. Of the new cases, 76 are in people 18 years of age and younger.  

The state reported at least 12 new deaths but the positivity rate is down to 5.48%, according to Beshear. 

There are currently at least 622 people hospitalized –– 147 of those are in intensive care units, and 88 people are on ventilators in Kentucky.

6:06 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

Alabama will allow fans at football home games

From CNN's David Close

Bryant-Denny Stadium, the home of the Alabama Crimson Tide, can seat more than 101,000 fans for a football game. This season, it will hold about a fifth of that.
Bryant-Denny Stadium, the home of the Alabama Crimson Tide, can seat more than 101,000 fans for a football game. This season, it will hold about a fifth of that. Michael Chang/Getty Images/File

Spectators will be allowed at upcoming University of Alabama home football games.

The school announced that approximately 20% of the seating capacity at Bryant-Denny Stadium (approximately 20,000 fans) could be filled, but school officials have prohibited tailgating on campus.

Earlier on Monday, the Southeastern Conference (SEC), in which the Crimson Tide plays, declared it would defer to member schools to determine how many spectators will be allowed at games.

The university says the plan is in compliance with state and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. Ticket holders will have to complete a HIPAA compliant questionnaire in order to gain access to games. 

The Crimson Tide will debut the new spectator plan at their home game versus Texas A&M on Oct. 3. Alabama opens their season on the road against Missouri on Sept. 26.

5:44 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

Most Covid-19 infections at Notre Dame came from off-campus gatherings, president says

From CNN’s Annie Grayer

The Golden Dome sits atop the main administration building at the University of Notre Dame.
The Golden Dome sits atop the main administration building at the University of Notre Dame. Michael Hickey/Getty Images/File

Rev. John I. Jenkins, the president of University of Notre Dame, said most Covid-19 infections have been the result of off-campus gatherings, according to analysis from contact tracers.

In response to a spike in cases since students have been back on campus, Jenkins announced Tuesday that all in-person classes have been suspended for two weeks.

But, students won't be punished for attending off-campus parties, Jenkins said.

“Often we learn of such gatherings through our contact tracing inquiries and we have a policy that information gained through such inquiries will not be used in any disciplinary action. We will continue to adhere to this policy because we want students to be forthright with us, so that we can discover the source of the infections in order to keep the community safe,” Jenkins said.

He said the university will take disciplinary action if the school learns of a "serious violation of our policies from other sources."

Jenkins said that “several reports” of this nature have already been submitted and are under review by the university conduct process.

Jenkins vowed that over the next two weeks, the university would enhance their testing abilities both for those who are experiencing symptoms and for those who are asymptomatic.

5:37 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

What you need to know about mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic

From CNN's Melissa Mahtani

A woman walks past mailboxes seen outside of a US Post Office in Washington, DC, on August 17.
A woman walks past mailboxes seen outside of a US Post Office in Washington, DC, on August 17. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump said he opposes much-needed funding for the United States Postal Service because he doesn’t want to see it used for mail-in voting, which he falsely asserted for months would lead to voter fraud.

Amid all the controversy, CNN’s Kristen Holmes went to a post office in Chaptico, Maryland, to get the facts.

Is mail-in voting safe? What's the difference between postal ballots and absentee ballots? How do you register to vote by mail? She speaks to an expert to get your questions answered.

Watch the video:

Just to reiterate: There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in US elections, and nonpartisan experts say neither party automatically benefits from voting by mail. Check out CNN's Fact Check for more.

5:27 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

São Paulo postpones in-person classes until October

From Rodrigo Pedroso

The mayor of São Paulo city, Bruno Covas, announced Tuesday that in-person classes in the city’s public schools will be postponed until October.  

The mayor made the decision despite receiving authorization from state officials that schools can reopen in September with 35% capacity. 

"The return of classes is now reckless, we are still controlling the disease in the city,” Covas said at a news conference today. “It is much more complicated to maintain social distance within the classroom than in other places,” he added. 

The decision to postpone in-person learning was made after the results of a serological survey conducted by the municipality showed that 64% of children in São Paulo infected with the coronavirus are asymptomatic. The study also concluded that 16% of the city’s children's had already contracted the virus.  

Asked about the possibility of completely postponing the resumption of classes this year, Covas said it will depend on how well the city is able to contain the spread of the virus. 

Covas added the decision to resume in-person learning will be guided by health officials, who recommended that the city suspend in-person classes until October.

The latest numbers: As of Tuesday, São Paulo state has a total of at least 711,530 confirmed Covid-19 cases and approximately 27,315 virus-related deaths.

5:30 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

Notre Dame is suspending in-person classes for two weeks

From CNN’s Annie Grayer

The Rev. John I. Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame, announces the shift to remote learning on Tuesday.
The Rev. John I. Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame, announces the shift to remote learning on Tuesday.

All undergraduate classes at the University of Notre Dame will shift to remote learning for the next two weeks as school officials try to get a recent spike in Covid-19 cases under control, Rev. John I. Jenkins, the university's president, told the community.

“We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of positive cases of Covid-19 in your first weeks back on campus” Jenkins said. “The spike in cases is very serious. And we must take serious steps to address it.”

Jenkins said that while his team had initially thought of sending the entire student body home, they decided to only move to remote learning for two weeks while continuing to monitor the situation. For the next two weeks, all undergraduate classes will be remote, all public spaces will be closed, residence halls will be restricted, and students who live off campus should remain in their homes and not come onto campus. 

“The objective of these temporary restrictions is to contain the spread of the virus so that we can get back to in person instruction,” Jenkins explained.

5:13 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

Ireland tightens coronavirus restrictions

From CNN's Lauren Kent in Winston-Salem

Medical staff members work at a Covid-19 testing center in Newbridge, Ireland, on Monday.
Medical staff members work at a Covid-19 testing center in Newbridge, Ireland, on Monday. Niall Carson/PA Images/Getty Images

Ireland "significantly" tightened coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday in an effort to enable schools to reopen in the coming weeks, the Irish prime minister said in a news conference.

The government is limiting outdoor gatherings, encouraging businesses to continue working remotely, and urging citizens to restrict visitors to their homes and avoid public transit.

Prime Minister Micheál Martin said the county is tightening restrictions because "the spread of the virus is increasing across a wide range of settings, these restrictions will impact on most of us."

More on this: The announcement follows a spike in coronavirus cases that led to Ireland's first local lockdowns last week in the counties of Kildare, Laois, and Offaly. Ireland has reported at least 27,499 confirmed coronavirus cases and approximately 1,775 deaths, according to the latest Department of Health figures published Tuesday. 

Martin said the government is advising that all businesses should continue to facilitate remote working where possible and that public transport should be avoided. He also said sports events and matches will revert to being held behind closed doors.

Martin added that all visits to homes will now be limited to six people from outside the home and from no more than three households for both indoor and outdoor gatherings. Additionally, outdoor gatherings will be limited to 15 people. Restaurants and cafes can remain open, but with a mandatory closing time of 11:30 p.m. local. 

He also urged citizens over 70 years old to exercise greater caution, to limit their social interactions to a small network, and to only visit shops during designated hours.

In a video on Twitter Tuesday night, Martin added, "At the same time, the government is very conscious of the economic and social damage and the need to keep our economy working to keep society open. and in particular, to enable our schools to open fully in the coming weeks and to also enable the resumption of non-Covid elements of medicine and health."

4:36 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

Covid-19 positivity rate in Louisiana drops below 10%, governor says

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch 

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, right, holds a news conference on Tuesday.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, right, holds a news conference on Tuesday. LPB

The positivity rate in Louisiana has dropped below 10%, Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a news conference.

The positivity rate for the state is 9.4%, Edwards said, dropping the state to the “yellow zone” as classified by the White House coronavirus task force.

The state reported an additional 664 new cases and 28 deaths.  

Louisiana has reported a total of 139,125 cases and 4,431 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Note: These numbers were released by the Louisiana Department of Health and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

4:35 p.m. ET, August 18, 2020

Georgia reports more than 2,800 new Covid-19 cases

From CNN’s Dianne Gallagher and Pamela Kirkland

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported at least 2,873 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday.

The statewide Covid-19 case total now stands at approximately 241,677.

Georgia DPH also reported at least 69 new deaths. The total number of deaths attributed to Covid-19 in Georgia is now approximately 4,794. 

There were at least 296 new Covid-19 related hospitalizations recorded.

Note: These numbers were released by the Georgia Department of Public Health and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.